Veteran catcher Sandy León has triggered an opt-out clause in his minor-league deal with the Guardians after being informed he would not make the Opening Day roster, tweets Zack Meisel of the Athletic. He’ll return to the open market.
It’s not uncommon to see non-roster veteran players either trigger opt-outs or request their release late in spring camp after being informed they won’t make the big league club. Most veterans of León’s ilk would prefer to scour the market to see if a more immediate big league opportunity awaits rather than head to Triple-A.
That said, León’s opt-out comes as a bit of a surprise — not that he didn’t accept a Triple-A assignment, but that he didn’t break camp with the major league team. The 33-year-old had seemed the favorite for the #2 catching job behind Austin Hedges to start the year. Luke Maile is expected to open the season on the injured list due to a strained left hamstring. That leaves 23-year-old Bryan Lavastida as the only other healthy backstop on the 40-man roster.
The Guardians could roll with Lavastida as Hedges’ backup, but he has just 36 games of experience above A-ball in his professional career. Cleveland’s #16 prospect according to Baseball America, Lavastida is a fairly well-regarded young player, but he’d probably stand to benefit from a few more reps against high minors pitching. León’s release leaves just organizational veteran Mike Rivera and 22-year-old prospect Bo Naylor — both of whom are coming off rough minor league seasons — as non-roster invitees in MLB camp. The Guardians could still look to acquire another veteran backstop via waivers or minor trade in the next week, but it seems as though Lavastida is now the favorite to break camp behind Hedges.
León, meanwhile, heads back to free agency in search of a new landing spot. He’s offered very little at the plate in recent seasons, but he’s earned a big league look in ten straight years based on his acumen behind the dish. León is coming off a .183/.237/.267 showing in 220 plate appearances with the Marlins.
letsgomets 2
Well, if this isn’t a perfect fit to make a trade with the Blue Jays….
Samuel
It isn’t.
The only C the Jays have that Cleveland would be interested in is Jansen, and he’s not available.
Cleveland is built around their pitching staff. They need a C that can call a game and run a staff – along with blocking balls. They have no need for an offensive C.
Down with OBP
That is who León is. You are basically describing León.
Samuel
Of course.
Why do you think they signed him?
He opted out. See posts below about the 40 man impact.
Won’t be surprised to see Leon come back later in the year and go to AAA.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Bill Withers once sang it all, Leon me, when you’re not strong, and i’ll be your friend, i’ll help you carry on….
We’re here for you Leon
roiste
Are you forgetting about Reese McGuire? He’s exactly what you describe – all glove, no bat. I could easily see Toronto trying to leverage him for some of Cleveland’s smaller pitching assets
48-team MLB
@Samuel
Is it really that difficult to spell out “catcher”?
rememberthecoop
He replies “Y”
bsra13
This comment made me chuckle
Rsox
It isn’t. The Guardians are not trading JRam, at least not before the season starts. Unless the Jays are interested in some minor league Infielders or Relievers there’s no match
Samuel
@Rsox;
The Jays not only got their 3B, they extended him.
Rsox
True. I think most of the JRam interest came before the trade for Chapman
jpritch002
Technically they didn’t they just gave him a contract for the two years he was already under team control… idk why networks labeled it an extension
dadofdonnydownvote
Sandy Leon. New starting Yankees catcher with Higgy as backup.
sufferforsnakes
I’m betting Rivera.
Burgeezy
I was a fan of his last season and hoped he would be retained or return. It seemed like her really put in the work to learn the pitchers and help the team out. What do I know tho?
layventsky
That was Rene Rivera. The Rivera mentioned in the article is minor league veteran Mike Rivera, who has not appeared in the majors with Cleveland. It would be nice to have Rene back, though.
SystemQB
Hell. Or even Scooter Tucker.
Tacoshells
Today is the day for former red socks to opt out of contracts I guess being a WS champion doesn’t mean much to other teams
Fever Pitch Guy
I’ll always be grateful for Sandy rescuing the Sox from Vazquez in the 2018 postseason.
Tacoshells
Ty
JeffreyChungus
Fun fact: Sandy Leon is the only player to be elected to the hall of fame before his retirement
Roll
I thought that was lastings milledge.
Midnight Agent
I bet León’s contract if selected was for $1,000,000. Far too rich for Cleveland’s ownership. Reese McGuire, come on down!
Captain Dunsel
He knows what he is doing as a professional ballplayer. Leon the Professional.
sadosfan
Dude isn’t a starter but a solid number 2 catcher. If you don’t want to spend much but need a backup to your starter or need to give him a rest then this guy will fill the need.
rememberthecoop
I didn’t know his agent posted here.
angt222
Probably looking for a major league opportunity, but he’d be great depth for the Mets.
ctyank7
Could be a viable backup for the Yankees. Higashioka, off a strong pre/season, will be the starter. But the musclebound Rortvedt is at least a month away from that lingering oblique injury.
Polish Hammer
San Diego has too many catchers,a trade for Caratini would help.
Rsox
That only works if Darvish is coming too
In nurse follars
40 man roster decisions. To bring Leon means to waive someone off the 40 and Leon is not worth the loss. Hedges will be busy until maille is ready.
Michael Chaney
I came here to say exactly this. Maile will be gone for a pretty short time, and it’s not worth having to get rid of someone on the 40-man roster for a few weeks of a backup catcher. Hedges will play nearly every day anyway.
Leon is a better option in the immediate future, but he’s not so much better or important enough to the roster to risk losing one of their young guys. Lavastida is a solid prospect and this will give him a little more time to get some major league coaching anyway.
In nurse follars
Only guardians fans know that fellow fan of the feather (duster used to dust the statues ).
48-team MLB
*SPIDERS
clrrogers
Blue Jays trade Alejandro Kirk, Cavan Biggio, Nate Pearson, Jordan Groshans, and Otto Lopez to the Guardians for Jose Ramirez and Emmanuel Clase. I’m speaking (typing) it into existence. Make it happen Atkins.
What do you guys think? Too much, too little, or trade accepted?
Samuel
Wow!…..
A Blue Jays fan that thinks like a Yankee fan!
GeronimoSon
Guardians with a HARD PASS on that deal..
In nurse follars
Why would they trade the best third baseman in baseball and a top five closer for that?
clrrogers
Because I’m a Blue Jays fan and I want them to.
Burgeezy
At least he’s honest if not delusional
mookiessnarl
Subbing Manoah for Groshans and Pearson gets the conversation started. Alternatively, if the Guardians wanted talent that hadn’t reached the majors yet Moreno and Martinez get the conversation started. But what would actually have to get the conversation started is a desire by the Guardians to trade those two players. Which they would not have. Also keep in mind if by some miracle they decided to trade those two players, they would have a bidding war from pretty much every other team in the league.
Wisdom shared
Just a question, but if the Jays traded all those players for Ramirez,, exactly who on the Jays between Vlad and Bo will the team be trading to accommodate a 30M salary to Ramirez. The Jays can’t keep acquiring players that will demand huge numbers and expect to continue without a farm system to replace the expensive players BEFORE they become a liability.. They aren’t the Dodgers, Red Sox, Mets or Yankees.
User 3014224641
Dream on.
CKinSTL
A backup catcher on a spring invite not making the club is prompting Jose Ramirez trade scenarios?
The Guardians have no reason to trade Ramirez. Maybe that changes if they are out of it near the deadline.
Polish Hammer
Not to mention, he’s being cut loose because there is no room on the 40man roster. When you trade a superstar because you can’t afford to extend him you will without a doubt bring back numerous pieces that will likely require a spot on the same 40man roster.
hockeyjohn
That trade offer would not get Ramirez, let alone Clase too.
cadagan
I despise unrealistic things said about trades. Then prefaced with. I can dream can’t I.
Mostly because it usually stops conversation cold or changes the subject.
Amanda
i have never, ever seen a catcher look so lost at the plate as i did when he was in boston, like its 1 thing to be a bad hitter, but he was so unable to make contact it was almost like he was afraid to, like he knew he couldnt hit so he struck out to be out of his misery. Good guy and all, but retire, you cant play baseball.
miltpappas
Leon isn’t done by a long shot. He can still help a lot of teams. And when his days are finally over, he’ll make a pretty good coach.
pirateking24
He’s not cut out to be a Guardian.
LordD99
Leon likelywould cost more than Lavastida if he was added to the MLB roster. It’s often as simple as that for Cleveland.
lucas0622
It’s worth noting that Lavastida is also better than Leon anyways
hockeyjohn
Cleveland added 11 prospects to their 40 man roster so their roster situation is extreme. Luke Maile should be back shortly. They don’t want to lose a player just for a week or two of a back up catcher.. Money is not the issue.
CKinSTL
I wasn’t expecting Lavastida to be the backup to start the year. Not only does he only have a few games above A-ball, as mentioned.. but he only has only caught 123 games total as a professional.
frozeninneohio
I’m confused. Leon offers very little at the plate so why didn’t he make the major league roster? He would have fit in perfectly with half of their starters.
Polish Hammer
The roster is loaded with young affordable talent because of fans like you. Keep up the good work and then wonder why they can’t afford talent with a mostly empty stadium.
DonOsbourne
I’m going to go ahead and start the rumor that Cleveland has been laying low all offseason in order to sneak up on the competition. So now with a week to go before Opening Day, they are unleashing an unprecedented plan of attack to improve their roster.
1) Acquire Willson Contreras from the Cubs.
2) Host a bake sale outside the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame with proceeds going to Contreras.
3) Sign Conforto for $23.5 million per on a one year deal with $23 million deferred.
4) Require every team employee to sell plasma at local blood bank with the proceeds going into an escrow account to pay Conforto’s deferred salary.
5) Trade for Eric Hosmer and Will Meyers.
6) Find a way to charge MLBTR a service fee just for putting an end to all the endless Hosmer for ___________ trade speculation. The proceeds of course would go to paying Hosmer and Meyers.
CKinSTL
They aren’t ready to emerge from their rebuild yet. They need to figure out about some of their young position players first.. I am, however, intrigued by this bale sale.
MarlinsFanBase
Wishing the best for Leon. Good team guy. I enjoyed how he gave us Marlins more confidence in his relief appearances than most of our actual relievers – like Anthony Bass.
Maybe we can upgrade our bullpen by trading Bass for Leon, Think the Guardians would go for that?
goob
Even by the rock-bottom standards of backup catchers, a .504 OPS is just astonishingly bad. And 220 PA’s is no SSS either.
Mickey777
If he ends up being DFAed I could see the Yankees signing him.
Mickey777
Oops! Looks like he is available right away. He is better than Rob Brantley, who does not have a major league throwing arm.
SupremeZeus
White Sox probably will be sniffing around this and any other discarded backup catcher trash in the coming days. All in.
pullhitter445
This is a need the white Sox have yet to address this offseason. Get it done.
Our Tribe
Lavastida backup until Maille is healthy
loumickeyjeter
Cash
Indianfan
Well there goes another season.